The present invention relates to pallets, and in particular to inexpensive and lightweight pallets constructed of corrugated cardboard.
Prior art pallets have employed table members of corrugated cardboard material to which a plurality of leg members are attached. The table member is supported above its resting surface so that the pallet and its contents may be picked up by mechanized equipment such as a forklift truck.
Prior art corrugated pallets have utilized a simple and effective attachment means by which a tubular cardboard leg, usually constructed of spiral laminated paperboard material, is attached to the table member by gluing. Such a prior art construction is exemplified by the Budd U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,444. To effect a strong attachment, the prior art table members have utilized a sunburstshaped die-cut pattern at each attachment point. The die-cut pattern utilizes a central hole with radiating die cuts terminating at an outer radius corresponding to the inner diameter of the pallet leg. The finger members thus formed have blunt tips where they originate from the central hole.
After cutting, the finger members of this prior art design are forced downward into an inner leg member, which is customarily coated with glue prior to its insertion. More glue is applied to the extending fingers, and then the inner leg member is forced into the assembly to retain the fingers in the annulus formed by the concentric leg members. As the Budd U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,444 shows, the finger members extend beyond the lower edge of the inner leg member and are supported only at their bases and not throughout their full length.